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RTL
RTL Television (formerly RTL plus), or simply RTL, is a German commercial television station distributed via cable and satellite, as well as via digital terrestrial (DVB-T) in more highly populated areas. It is owned by the RTL Group and is, in terms of market share, Germany's largest private free-to-air broadcaster. The channel started broadcasting on 2 January 1984 at 17:27 from VHF channel E7 (system B, colour PAL) in Luxembourg. It only had a theoretical audience of approximately 200,000 until 1988, when it moved its headquarters to Cologne, Germany; prior to this it was considered a Luxembourg-based station. RTL, which began as a spin-off of the German version of Radio Luxembourg, started with a low budget and many of the early hosts simply presented versions of their radio formats adapted for television. One early success was the quiz show "Ein Tag wie kein anderer" (A Day Like No Other), in which candidates were competing for a holiday. RTL plus was famous in its early years for showing low-budget films and American programmes. It was the number 2 commercial broadcaster. All that changed when RTL moved to Cologne and, in return, received the right to broadcast on terrestrial frequencies. That same year, RTL acquired the first-run rights to the prestigious Fußball-Bundesliga. Deals with Cannon, which at the time was successful with films like Highlander and, one year later, with Universal Studios, finally provided more high profile films for the channel. The current slogan is "Mein RTL" which means My RTL in English. It is now the primary channel of the RTL Group's German television stations, which also include RTL II, Super RTL, VOX, n-tv and RTL Nitro. Programmming aired by RTL Television News / news magazines * Punkt 6 – weekdays, at 06:00 * Punkt 9 – weekdays, at 09:00 * Punkt 12 – weekdays, at 12:00 * RTL Aktuell – main news programme broadcast daily at 18:45. The head news presenter is Peter Kloeppel * RTL Nachtjournal – every night, at about midnight * Explosiv – daily tabloid programme with presenters Janine Steeger and Nazan Eckes * Exclusiv – celebrity news programme with Frauke Ludowig and Leonard Diepenbrock * Stern TV – newsmagazine based on the print magazine Stern hosted by Steffen Hallaschka - (1990-2010) by Günther Jauch * Spiegel TV – newsmagazine based on the print magazine Der Spiegel hosted by Maria Gresz and Hendrik Voehringer * Extra – Das RTL-Magazin – a weekly magazine hosted by Birgit Schrowange Drama Current and Upcoming * Alarm für Cobra 11 – Die Autobahnpolizei (1996 – present) * Transporter - Die Serie (October 2012 – present) * IK1 – Touristen in Gefahr (2011 (pilot), 2012–) Entertainment Current * Wer wird Millionär? – the German version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, hosted by Günther Jauch since 1999 * Deutschland sucht den Superstar – a German version of production sister company Fremantle's Idols * Let's Dance – a German version of Strictly Come Dancing hosted by Sylvie van der Vaart and Daniel Hartwich * Bauer sucht Frau – German version of British programme Farmer wants a wife hosted by Inka Bause * Einsatz in 4 Wänden – Spezial – home renovation show; the complete house is re-fashioned * Raus aus den Schulden – (Out of the debts) with Peter Zwegat * Das Supertalent – a German version of Britain's Got Talent * Ich bin ein Star – Holt mich hier raus! – German version of Granada format I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! hosted by Sonja Zietlow and Dirk Bach * Rach, der Restauranttester – German version of British programme Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares * Rachs Restaurantschule * Die Bülent Ceylan Show * In jeder Beziehung – Since 2012, the release was in September * Big Boss – a short-lived format in Germany. Fremantle holds international licences for the show, except in the United States. * Dancing on Ice – hosted by Mirjam Weichselbraun and Wayne Carpendale * Der Schwächste fliegt! – a short-lived German version of the BBC format, The Weakest Link * Die Super-Nanny – Katharina Saalfrank helps families with childrearing problems * Entern oder Kentern – hosted by Sonja Zietlow * Fear Factor – German version of Endemol format hosted by Sonja Zietlow * Top of the Pops – the German version of the now-defunct British music show Comedy Current * RTL Comedy Woche (2012-present) * Die Kaya Show (2012-present) Former * Das Amt (1997-2003) * Ritas Welt (1998-2003) * Freitag Nacht News (1999-2006) * Nikola (1999-2005) * Alles Atze (2000-2007) * Mein Leben & Ich (2001-2009) * Schulmädchen (2002-2005) * Bernds Hexe (2002-2005) * Alle lieben Jimmy (2005-2007) * Angie (2006-2008) * Mitten im Leben (2007) * Kinder, Kinder (2007) * Achtung! Hartwich (2008) * Der Lehrer (2009) * 4 Singles (2009-2010) * Doctor's Diary (2007-2010) * Böse Mädchen (2007-2011) Soap operas Current * Gute Zeiten, schlechte Zeiten – prime time, since 1992, adaptation of the Dutch format Goede tijden, slechte tijden * Unter Uns – daytime, since 1994 * Alles was zählt – daytime, since 2006 Former * Ahornallee (daytime) * Hinter Gittern – Der Frauenknast (prime time) * Playhouse Disney Former American soap operas * Loving (Wege der Liebe) * All My Children * One Life to Live (Liebe, Liebe Leidenschaft) * General Hospital * The Young and the Restless (Schatten der Leidenschaft) * The Bold and the Beautiful (Reich und Schön) * As the World Turns (Jung und Leidenschaftlich – Wie das Leben so spielt) * Guiding Light (Springfield Story) * Days of our Lives (Zeit der Sehnsucht) * Another World Sport * Formula One hosted by Florian König and Niki Lauda * Boxing hosted by Florian König * 2010 FIFA World Cup Other American series Current * CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (as CSI – Den Tätern auf der Spur) * CSI: Miami * House (as Dr. House) * Bones (as Bones – Die Knochenjägerin) * Law & Order * Monk (reruns) * Person of Interest (October 2012–persent) * Psych * Royal Pains * White Collar * The Glades Former * The Adventures of Raz and Benny * Care Bears * Columbo * Dark Knights * Fresh Prince of Bel Air (as Der Prinz von Bel Air) * Home Improvement (as Hör mal, wer da hämmert) * Knight Rider * The Nanny (as Die Nanny) * Pablo the Little Penguin: The Series * Prison Break * Smallville * That 70s Show (as Die wilden Siebziger) See also * HD+ * RTL Group * Bertelsmann AG * Andreas Stenschke External links * Official website * HD+ site References Category:RTL Group Category:Television stations in Germany Category:Companies based in Cologne Category:German television networks